Samsung to Unveil First Smartphones With Foldable Displays in Early 2017

With research firm Gartner stating that era of double-digit smartphone sales growth is over, smartphone makers will need to do more to convince customers that their newer devices are worth purchasing when their existing ones which should last for as much as two and a half years are in good working conditions. Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung is looking to foldable OLED displays to stay ahead of the curve.

According to Bloomberg, Samsung is on course to release the first batch of such smartphones in early 2017 which could mean the next Mobile World Congress. That first batch will reportedly include two models: one that folds in half while the other “will have a 5-inch screen when used as a handset, that unfurls into a display that’s as large as 8 inches.”

Samsung has not been coy about its plans to build and eventually release devices with foldable displays. The company has repeatedly showcased what it intends to do in various global industry trade shows. However, to date, it has not gone to market with such a device. As such, the two devices it reportedly plans to launch early next year will be the first of their kind not only for Samsung but also the entire world. While this is expected to give Samsung a headstart over rivals like Apple, the company is expected to keep it as a side project instead of mainstream product immediately while gauging market reception.

Samsung already sells devices with curved displays the latest one being the Galaxy S7 Edge.